Kerki
- Astan BabaThe
Mausoleum of Astan-Baba is unique structure in its type,
built in the area of the Medieval Zemm, north-west from
Kerki. It has been rebuilt many times in the course of
the centures.

Kerki is an administrative centre forming part of Lebap
velayat. It's a town with a population of 20.000. The
city differs from others with its' XIX c architecture.
Kerki is rich in archaeological monuments.

The
first and most impressive monument is a comparatively
older fortress named Sultaniyazbiy-kalasy (40 km of the
Charjou-Kerki highway). It is also known as Seiydi fortress,
named so in honour of Seyitnazar Seyidi, a classical Turkmen
writer. Another monument of Kerki is the Alamberdar mausoleum
dating back to the XI c. It is situated 12 kilometres
to the northwest of the present day location of the town
of Kerki. This is the largest preserved monument among
the early buildings of north Khorasan (in present day
Iran). Inside of the Alamberdar mausoleum there are architectural
ornaments crafted from 15 types of figured brick. There
is only one room adorned with a cenotaph, which often
is mistaken as a gravestone but excavations have revealed
that no one is buried there. Alamberdar, or Alamberdar-tutchy
is translated from Turkmen as "standard-bearer".
No
person is connected with the monument, however, from the
written origins in Kerki there was killed Abu-Ibrahim
Ismail Muntazir, the last ruler of the Samanid state.
In Turkmenistan there is not a few of sanctuaries, where
even today it's possible to see ziyarat-a ritual of worshipping
to one or other saint, which is performed by pilgrims.
The Astana-baba mausoleum of Kerki is one of the respected
saints. The mausoleum was subjected to multiple reconstructions
during a range of centuries. Its oldest parts -"the
mosque" and probably, its entry peshtak refer to
12 c, and its last capital restoration was carried out
in 1918-1920 under the aegis of Bukhara Emir. The Astana-baba
cult has formed several centuries ago and not at all on
the empty place. The name points out pre-Islam, pagan
origin, then transforming in the image of a Moslem saint.
Now, both a settlement and a unique 4-dome in shape architectural
ensemble bears this name. .